diff --git a/index.org b/index.org index d9e88a0..328c1bc 100644 --- a/index.org +++ b/index.org @@ -1,10 +1,11 @@ :PROPERTIES: #+SETUPFILE: setup.org #+export_file_name: index +#+title: The art of circumlocution #+subtitle: :END: -* TODO [[file:let-people-fail.org][Let people fail]] +* [[file:let-people-fail.org][Let people fail]] * [[file:big-companies][The problem with large organizations]] * TODO [[file:job-description.org][Just what is it you do here?]] * TODO [[file:managing-expectations.org][Managing Expectations]] diff --git a/let-people-fail.org b/let-people-fail.org index d6b3b01..b75cd5f 100644 --- a/let-people-fail.org +++ b/let-people-fail.org @@ -7,18 +7,23 @@ * How (and why) to let people fail Warning: This, like most things, will involve a fair bit of projection. -I have some thoughts about collaboration. +Effective and enjoyable collaboration with other people requires mutual trust. -While a lot of this is obvious and well accepted, I think there are some fine points worth elaborating on. +I believe that for someone to feel trusted by another person then they need the space to fail. -The obvious part is that people work better together when they believe they are trusted. Trust breeds initiative and independence. Distrust breeds resentment and inaction. +I _think_ this is obvious when considering what not having the space to fail looks like. -Consider the flip side of trust, for a moment. +Not having the space to fail means your collaborator is doing one of two things: -A common way that people show _distrust_ when collaborating is either micromanaging or just coming in behind someone and redoing their work. +1. Directing every action you take a.k.a. micromanaging +2. Coming behind you and redoing all of your work -If that demonstrates distrust then +Both of these are attempts by the other person to minimize risk (or simply cases where they're failing to manage their own anxieties). -It's not enough that you simply _do_ trust someone else to get the benefits, you need to show it. I think this is the part that many people skip or ignore. +These actions are counter productive to fostering trust and should be avoided unless failure is too costly. -This is, of course, true in general. +I'm _not_ saying all collaboration _requires_ building trust. There are times when you simply can't afford failure or mistakes. + +What I am saying is that people frequently misjudge the value in deliberately giving others the space to fail for the sake of fostering trust. + +Building trust is important and we should do it deliberately. diff --git a/setup.org b/setup.org index 537a5db..8a6943a 100644 --- a/setup.org +++ b/setup.org @@ -2,8 +2,6 @@ #+author: James Brechtel #+email: me@jamesbrechtel.com #+bind: org-export-publishing-directory "./public" -#+html_headx: -#+html_head: #+html_head_writ: #+html_head_bahunya: #+html_head_awsm: @@ -11,8 +9,10 @@ #+html_head_holiday: #+html_head_mvp: #+html_head_pico: -#+html_head: +#+html_head: #+html_head_tacit: +#+html_container: main +#+html_content_class: container #+options: html-link-use-abs-url:nil html-postamble:nil #+options: html-preamble:t html-scripts:nil html-style:nil #+options: html5-fancy:t tex:t